Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today.

A property-tax cut for small businesses sought by Florida Gov. Rick Scott was rewritten Friday morning by a House committee to appease cities and counties who feared the plan was a Trojan horse designed to get at bigger breaks for large corporations.
The centerpiece of the tax package is a proposal to exempt businesses with $50,000 or less worth of computers, office furniture, machinery and other "tangible personal property" from paying taxes on the equipment.
[Source: Orlando Sentinel]

In Case You Missed ItResources and perspectives for Florida small businesses "Political, municipal, linguistic, industrial, educational, demographic and psychographic diversity in the Tampa Bay area creates one of the most opportunity-rich areas in the entire world. That being said, we've managed to create so many silos within the area that individual entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations, programs and services, cities and counties, and even regions refuse to work with each other for any number of reasons. If we can find a way to tear down the walls, really spectacular opportunities could have a chance to develop here."

Faster foreclosures could be coming to Florida.
A landmark $26 billion settlement with large banks over robo-signing and a measure moving through the Florida Legislature could help bring the state's bloated, groggy foreclosure machine roaring back to life. [Source: Times/Herald]

Business hiring in South Florida on the rise

South Florida employers are stepping up hiring.
The optimistic outlook is reflected in South Florida's unemployment rate, which fell to 9.6 percent in the most recent count. Statewide, unemployment has fallen for four straight months, dipping to 9.9 percent.
Online job postings rose in January by 2,267 jobs, or 17.8 percent, from a year ago in Palm Beach County, and by 1,584, or 10 percent, in Broward County, according to The Conference Board, a global research firm. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

The 17th annual Northeast Florida Scottish Games & Festival offers Scottish athletic and dancing competitions, bagpipes and drums, a whisky tasting, a Scottish and import beer festival and more. The festival is scheduled for Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Clay County Fairgrounds in Green Cove Springs.
Can't wait? Try these other events scheduled for this weekend: